Improvement in processes for casting brass ingots



UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

LETSOME T. WOOSTER, OF ANSONIA, CONNECTICUT.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,174, dated August 15, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LETsoME T. WoosTER, of Ansonia, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Flasks or Molds for Casting Brass and similar Ingots; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection With the accompanying drawing and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawing constitutes a part of this specification, and represents, in

Figure 1, a perspective View of the iiask; Fig. 2, a perspective view of one part; Fig. 3, a perspective View of the other part; and in Fig. 4, a vertical central section. I

This invention relates to an improvement in the construction of iiasks or molds for cast-in g brass, copper, and similar in gots.

In casting metals, Wh en the metal is taken from the furnace and exposed to the air the surface instantly oxidizes, and in pouring this is kept back by any suitable instrument; but the fresh metal, in the act of pouring, (the iiask used for casting ingots always being open at the top,) is again exposed, and, consequently, more or less oxidized. The result of this is that the metal when taken from the flasks is found to be oxidized upon the surface to such an extent as to require the re moval of this surface. It will be understood that by the word ingots I mean plates which are cast preparatory to being rolled to produce sheets 0f metal. Upon such plates a pure surface cannot be attained until all the oxidized particles are removed, and with this removal more or less of the good metal will be taken, thus necessitating the loss of a large proportion of metal. Another difficulty in casting ingots arises from the fact that foreign substances which may be in the crucibles pass into the flask or mold with the metals.

To overcome these difficulties is the object of my invention; and it consists in the method or process, hereinafter. described, for casting in gots by means of a iiask constructed With a tunnelshaped mouth, with one or more openings'through the tunnel into the ask, so that in pouring the tunnel Will be more or less iilled with the molten metal, and the metal passing from the tunnel into the flask does not come in contact with the external atmosphere.

A is one part and B the other part of a iiask, the lower part of which is constructed in the usual manner for casting plates preparatory to rolling. These iiasks or molds are usually made of suilicient length and open at the top, so that the metal is poured directly from the crucible into the flask, which occasions the diiiiculties before referred to. To avoid this I close the top of the fla-sk and form a recess, C, therein, as seen in Fig. 4, of a tunnel-shape, and from the bottom of this recess one or more perforations, a, lead into the iiask. As avent I form a small groove, d, from the top down into the flask.

These flasks are first oiled preparatory to pouring, and, standing, in an upright position, the molten metal is poured into the tunnelshaped recess C so as to quickly fill the said recess, thus covering the perforations a. Through these perforations the molten metal runs into the flask, the tunnel being more or less filled with fresh metal. The oxidized portion remains in the top of the tunnel, and that which runs through into the :tlasknot being exposed to the atmosphere is in no way affected thereby, and all foreign substances in the metal, naturally rising, lie upon the surface of the metal in the tunnel, and this tunnel is kept full to a greater or lesser extent until the flask is filled; hence, as no oxidization takes place in the ask,the plate comes from the ilask with a free and pure surface, ready for the rolls. The oil within the iiask ignites so soon as the hot metal strikes it. The iiame and gas passing through the vent d with great force make it impossible for the air to remain Within or enter into the iiask.

I cla-im as my invention- The method herein described for casting ingots by means of a flask constructed in the manner herein. set forth.

LETSOME T. WOOSTER.

Witnesses:

EDWARD A.WADHAMs, JOHN D. BALLoU. 

